Nozzle mechanisms for spraying of semi-solids



Feb. 3, 1959 MGROTH NOZZLE MECHANISMS FOR SPRAYING OF SEMI-SOLIDS Filed June 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /l fT//l l iff, /l/l/l//f I f Muff/v5 G-/gm/ INVENTOR.

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' M. GRoTH Feb. 3, 1959 v NOZZLE MECHANISMS FOR SPRAYING OF SEMI-SOLIDS Filed June 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MOQENS GRN# NVENTOR.

BY Wm l s 2,872,245 Patented, Feb; 32.1959

Uetfd StafSfPm ffice n 2,872,245 ozzLE MECHANrsMs Fon sPRAYrNG oF SEMI-soups h/Iogelis (froth, Lyngby,v enmark Application June 27,- 195s, sel-n.1 Nb. 518,261 lzinns priority', applicants namaak my" i, 191521 s claims. (01.29'9-62) invention relates to nozzleniechanisms in ma-V chines used forthe spraying of `moulded work of semi- ?s'olid substances, such as dough, chocolate and sugar paste `and other similar substances by means of a nozzle rrioyably mounted over a base, preferably ankendles's beit which may remain stationary or be moved k.during the spraying and after completion of the moulding of the work-piece may be removed from the nozzle in the direction of the spray and returned to place before` the commencementof'the next spraying, and in which the substance is taken to the nozzle ,from a container by means of va pump the drive fof whichmis bya transmission connected with the drive of the base andwith stops Vinserted in thel passages betweenthe container ,and the nozzle as to synchronize the motions of all these prts., d i ,Said machines are particularly used for the, production ofzpieces. of the form of pretzels, rings `or bars, the noz#` zle andthe base being so moved in relation to one another as t make the substance deposited by the noz'zle on the base assume the desired shape. l

It is anob'ject of the presentk invention to provide a nozzle mechanism for such ma-chines, in which the motion of the nozzle is carried out in an especially simple manner so as to make the entire design of the machine on which it is mounted simple and reliable. c v MIn practice it has appeared that the substance sprayed from the nozzle is liable to be pressed in between the moving parts. Particularly in the case of chocolate the cocoa-butter will be pressed out and leave a solid mass, but also in the case of other doughy substances which may congeal, this fact will cause the moving parts to work more and more sluggishly until they iinally stop entirely, and this will cause frequent stoppages and inaccuracies in shape and size of the pieces produced.

It is a further object of this invention to obviate this disadvantage and to indicate means for preventing the substance worked from causing irregularities in operations of this kind.

An embodiment of a nozzle mechanism according to the invention inserted in an otherwise conventional machine of the kind specified is shown on the drawing.

Fig. l shows the machine in rear elevation,

Fig. 2 shows on an enlarged scale the nozzle mechanism according to the invention in section through line II-II in Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through line III-III in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through line IV-IV in Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is a cross-section through line V-V in Fig. l, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through line VI-VI in Fig. l.

The machine has a frame 100 carrying an electric motor 101 which through a gear-box 102 drives two intermediate shafts 103 and 104 by means of which all the moving parts of the machine are operated.

The frame is provided with bearings 105 for a drum axle 106 carrying a conveyor drum 107 holding an endless belt 19 extending forward below the nozzles mentioned in detail in thel following and at the other end of the machine passing over a return-drum not visible 'on the drawing. The conveyor 19is moved forward step by step by a cam-disc 109mounted on shaftr104 against which cam-discman arm 110 (Fig. 3) mounted on a lever 117on the frame is kept pressed by a spring 111. The arm 110 is by means of a link 112 connected with a swing-,arm 1413 with a pawl114engaging a pawl wheel 115 aflixedto the drum-axle 106, hereby advancing the belt stepwise when the axle 104 is rotating. The motion is determined by the shape of the cam-disc 109 and may be altered by giving this disc another shape or angular position on the shaft; y i y ,i

r Furthermore, the belt 19 must be lifted and lowered in relation to ,they labove mentioned nozzles. This motion is likewisederived from axle 104which for the purpose is provided with two cam-discs .,116 against each of which arms 118 mounted on lever 1.17 are kept pressingby means vof springs 1,19 placed around pressure-rods 120y shiftably mounted on the frame 100 and so actuated by the springs 119 that the latter will tend to force them down against levers 118. The cam-discs are of such shape that in predetermined positions during the rotation theyy will press` against levers 118 and against the pressure of springs 119 lift the rods 120. These rods are placed under the upper partA of belt It9, as plainly` shown in Fig. 4, and below the nozzles so that the belt at intervals will be lifted up towards and again lowered away from fheozzlffs 'Ihe frarnenof the machine is above the belt provided with a container 1, lin the form of an inner container 2 l for the material surrounded by al jacket 3vholding heatl ing liquid sonthat the container and the parts surround` ing it may be kept at a regular, suitable temperature.V This ismof particular importance when chocolate massV is being Worked, such mass being highly sensitive to temperature. A, i Y w l,Inn'the container is placed a turntable cock-plug 4 with g'rooveshor. passages 5 andn6 so that in one position it may establish connection `between the outlet from the containerl 2' and a `series of pump-cylinders built into the frame of the machine, in which cylinders pistons 20 may reciprocate, so that they when moving backwards will suck mass from the container 2 and during their forward motion will press the substance sucked into the cylinder out through passages 6 into outlets 7. These outlets lead down to pipes 8 aixed to the container. Surrounding each of these pipes, but without direct connection therewith, a nozzle-carrier is mounted consisting of two main parts. One of the main parts of the nozzlecarrier is a pinion 9 mounted on bearer rings 10 in the frame of the machine and engaging a rack 11 reciprocating in the frame, so that the pinion 9 may be turned either way around the pipe 8. The second principal part of the nozzle-carrier consists of a nozzle 12 affixed to the pinion 9 and having a passage 13 communicating with pipe 8, this passage leading to a spray-nozzle 14 mounted eccentrically in relation to pipe 8. Between the nozzle-carrier and pipe 8 two tightening-rings 15 and 16 are mounted, between which there is an open space 17, which by a passage 18 is connected with the open air. The pinion 9 of the nozzle-carrier has a bore therethrough and the inner surface of this bore and the outer surface of the supply pipe 8 constitute cooperating engaging bearings for the turning of the nozzle-carrier about the pipe as an axis.

The rack 11 is moved forwards and backwards by a lever 121 mounted on the frame 100 and engaging a curved track 122 in a disc 123 on shaft 103, the forked end of the lever 121 engaging a tappet on rack 11.

The pistons 20 and valve 4 are driven by a sprocketwheel 124 aiiixed to shaft 104 and by means of a chain 125 driving an intermediate sprocket 126 mounted on a bracket 127 on the container 1 and on whose shaft curved discs 128 and 129 are keyed. The curved disc 128 actuates a lever 130, a link 131 and a lever 132, a hollow shaft 133 which through a lever 134 and a link' 135 and lever 136 rotates an intermediate shaft 137 mounted on the container and to which two levers 13S and 139 are aflxed. These two levers carry a rod 140 to which all pump pistons are hinged so that they will be made to reciprocate by the cam-disc 12S. Correspondingly cam-disc 129 will drive an axle 141 mounted in the hollow shaft 133 and will in the same manner through a lever 142 and a link actuate a lever 144 on valve 4.

In this manner all working parts are interconnected so that they will work in synchronism, all of them being driven by a common drive-mechanism. The different motions, more particularly the connection between the rack 11 and the belt 19, are so arranged that the motion performed by the nozzle 14 in relation to the belt 19 will be so adjusted that the nozzle in the course of its oscillating motion will deposit a workpiece of the desired pretzel, ring or wave-shape on the belt, whereupon the belt will be moved away from the nozzle which at the same time returns to its initial position. It is expedient hereby to swing the nozzle-carrier back to initial position by a rapid return movement. This may easily be done when, as shown in the drawing, it is moved by a rack. When the flow of material from the nozzle is stopped, the substance sprayed will be inclined to be drawn out into a long, so-called tail, which in many cases will be deposited on top of the work-piece. If, after having deposited the material, the nozzle is moved quickly backwards, it will tear oi the strip of material in a rapid motion, and the tail, if any, formed will settle on that part of the belt where the next work-piece will be deposited in the next stage of the operation and will thus not be deposited on top of the previous work-piece.

Rings 15 and 16 will to a very great extent prevent material from pipe 8 from penetrating in between the moving parts. If any part of the mass should penetrate past the rst tightening ring 15, it will enter the space 17, where due to the presence of the duct 18 the pressure is not particularly high, so that any substance entering this space will find an outlet through duct 18 rather than penetrating in past tightening-ring 16. As a consequence the nozzle-carrier will be kept free from congealed or compressed material.

I claim:

l. Nozzle mechanism for the spraying and forming of a semi-solid substance stored in a container, comprising a supply pipe for the substance adapted to be axed to the container, a nozzle-carrier surrounding said pipe and turnably mounted with respect thereto, said pipe having an outer surface and said carrier having an inner surface constituting cooperating engaging bearings for the turning of the carrier about the pipe as an axis, a nozzle placed on the carrier and arranged in eccentric relation to the pipe, and having a hollow interior, connected by means of a passage cut in the nozzle-carrier, with the open end of the pipe, and means operatively associated with said carrier for swinging the said carrier around the said pipe upon said bearings.

2. Nozzle mechanism for the spraying and forming of a semi-solid substance stored in a container, comprising a supply pipe for the substance adapted to be aHXed to the container, a nozzle-carrier surrounding said pipe and turnably mounted with respect thereto, said pipe having an outer surface and said carrier having an inner surface constituting cooperating engaging bearings for the turning of the carrier about the pipe as an axis, a nozzle placed on the carrier and arranged in eccentric relation to the pipe and having a hollow interior, connected by means of a passage cut in the nozzle carrier, with the open end of the pipe, means operatively associated with said carrier for swinging the said carrier around the said pipe upon said bearings, and a pair of tightening-rings disposed between the outside of said pipe and the nozzle `carrier in spaced apart relation to one another to define a space therebetween, said carrier having a hole through its wall communicating said space with the atmosphere.

3. Nozzle mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of said rings is positioned close to the open end of said pipe and the other of said rings is positioned at a substantial distance from the open end of said pipe.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,042 Bader Oct. 14, 1947 

